"Had enough of skiving yet?" James asked as he entered Madame Pomfrey's office. It was a small place with not much colour, she probably thought it was practical, and cauldrons filled with bubbling mixtures and concoctions filled the room with an odd spiced smell, rather like aniseed. Remus turned to face his friend but his smile didn't stretch all that much, instead James received a quick jerk from the corner of his mouth.
"To be honest I'd rather stay in here for the rest of my life," Remus sighed.
"Remus-"
"Don't even start James!" Remus snapped, "Don't even try to tell me that it wasn't my fault, that there was nothing that I could have done! We both know that I'm a hazard to everyone at Hogwarts and it's a damn good thing that this is our last year! You know what? I think it's just best that I disappear after we leave school."
"What!?" James gasped, "Remus you-!" It was then that James noticed that the door was open and he swiftly shut it behind him, careful not to slam it so that the girls wouldn't get suspicious.
"Remus, the order needs you, you can't disappear!" He whispered, "And besides, this is a one off; it's not like it happens all the time!"
"It's not one off!" Remus retaliated, "Remember Severus? If you hadn't been there I would have killed him!"
"Remus, Sirius led him there! You wouldn't have been anywhere near anyone else if he wasn't being such a prat, and anyway, you didn't attack him, I saved him so this is a one off!"
"But that's not the point, James; you shouldn't have to save anyone from me and this is the second time you have!" Remus yelled close to tears, "I hate waking up in the middle of nowhere, having no idea what I've been doing for the last few hours, whether I've killed or hurt anyone, being the last one to know!"
"Well you can't help that and running away isn't going to solve anything!" James argued, "The Order needs you-"
"Oh The Order has plenty!" Remus interrupted, "Why am I so special?"
"Remus you're the most intelligent bloke I know and without you The Order's brain power goes down by half. You keep me and Sirius in order and without you we'd probably have done some things we'd really regret. You're loyal and trustworthy and a shoulder to cry on; I think I'd have moped around the castle for years if it wasn't for your advice on Lily," James paused as he said her name but covered it up quickly, "And Ellie seems to agree with me..."
"What?" Remus said, his eyes suddenly meeting his.
"Oh come on Remus, surely you must have noticed-"
"I have..." Remus said but he lowered his eyes as soon as he said it, "Although I very much doubt she still-"
"She does," James said rolling his eyes, "You think she'd still be talking to you if she didn't? You break her arm, slice her open and still she's ogling at you." Remus blushed and James grinned.
"Makes me sound a bit sadistic doesn't it?" Remus said quietly.
"Face it mate, you're irresistible," James grinned, "Wait...how did you find out in the end?"
Remus didn't answer but a wide grin spread across his face and he lowered his gaze.
"Enough said," James smirked.
***
"What do you think they're talking about?" Ellie asked as she stared in the direction if Madame Pomfrey's office.
"I dunno but James has closed the door so it must be man stuff."
"What did you say to make him so upset Lily?" Ellie enquired, never taking her eyes off of the office door.
"Something about me being glad that we don't get along and that it's a good thing I never said yes to him," Lily said casually; maybe if she said it that way it wouldn't seem like such a big deal.
"Erm...why!?" Ellie said, her head whirring round to face her, "You like him!"
"Yeah well he made me mad," Lily frowned, "He said that we'd never work out-"
"What?" Ellie blinked, "James Potter said that?"
"Well he didn't mean it of course, he'd told Sirius minutes before that he loved me; he just thought that it was time to accept the way things are and lie to me."
"But...you knew..."
"Yeah, and I was going to tell him that I would...you know...but then he said that he'd never go out with someone he couldn't have a laugh with and I couldn't help but think...ouch. Can you imagine if I had told him that I liked him and then he has the audacity to come out with that?"
"Lily he obviously didn't mean it," Ellie sighed.
"Well it must have come from somewhere; whether or not he was just saying it to stop pestering me it still hurt. I mean, it wasn't exactly the nicest way to tell someone that you're 'over' them is it? Surely you're not supposed to insult them, I mean, if we went out and he broke up with me what would he say? 'Oh sorry you're far too stubborn and ginger for me to go out with you and your nose is awfully long you should check it out.'"
Ellie snorted.
"What are you talking about Lily? You have a widdle nose! It's your stubbornness that needs to be checked out."
"Quiet you," Lily smiled, "It was an example."
"Speaking of erm...romaticles..." Ellie said shyly, playing with her thin white duvet, "I have a little something to tell you."
"No!" Lily grinned, "You didn't...?"
"Well...not really..."
"Oh he's not bad is he?"
"Well he's cutely inexperienced but that's not the point. He sort of turned into a werewolf before it turned into a proper kiss." Lily had to stifle a laugh.
"Well I suppose not many people can say that really; you should feel privileged."
"Well I wouldn't have minded if he hadn't tried to kill me afterwards," Ellie shrugged.
"I bet that killed the mood."
"Oh very much so," Ellie grinned and the two girls couldn't help but laugh, "Seriously though, the boy is so naive that when I try and get his attention he doesn't give me even a little bit but when he does he gives me far too much that it almost kills me."
"Oh god it's the complete opposite for me," Lily sighed, "When I'm not interested he wants me but when I am he couldn't care less."
"I bet he does."
"He hasn't even looked at me for days."
"Bet he's dying inside having missed his daily dosage of red hair and green eyes; you're both far too stubborn."
"Well true but I still think-"
"Have Potter and Lupin left?" came a voice and Lily jumped. Oh Merlin, Madame Pomfrey, how long had she been here and how much had she heard?
"In the office," Lily said, the words spilling from her mouth in shock.
"What in Merlin's name are they doing in there?" She said, strutting towards her office, "If Potter's so much as touched those potions..."
Within an instant the two boys were cast out of the office by the nurse and ushered towards Ellie's bed.
"Why is it that you two always do what you're not supposed to?" She sighed, "Especially you Potter even if you are head boy!"
"Old habits," James shrugged and with a huff the nurse retired to her office leaving the four in an awkward silence.
"Thanks for what you did James," Ellie smiled, breaking the silence, careful not to use the word 'saving' in order not to upset Remus, "It was very gallant."
"S'nothing..." James said quietly, desperately trying to ignore the smell of Lily's shampoo; shame she hadn't had the opportunity to wear it when they were alone in that tent...
James averted his eyes; he was string far too much.
"You and Lily made a really good team huh?" Ellie said, trying to get even the smallest exchange going between them. The pair said nothing but nodded instead.
"So what have I missed?" she tried again but Lily gave her a stern look, "I'm just curious..."
"Nothing's going on..." James said quietly but added more when he realized it applied to more than her question, "The usual rubbish. We would rather know what's going on with you; you're the exciting one."
"Doubt it; I've been asleep all this time...at least I think I have...Remus?" Ellie said but Remus just nodded.
"You coming out soon?" James asked when she looked disappointed.
"Madam Pomfrey said tomorrow looks good now that I'm fully conscious."
"What?" Lily said suddenly, "You never told me that!"
"You didn't ask," Ellie shrugged, "Is it really that exciting?"
"Of course it is!" Lily said, her arms flying, "It's been so boring without you! I feel like a right pleb walking around alone, hanging out in the Library with nothing else to do..."
"Alone?" Remus asked, looking confused, "What about J-?" He turned questioningly to James but quickly stopped talking as soon as he saw the look on his face. The four remained silent, frozen with awkwardness until James piped up.
"Well I'm glad you're ok Ellie," He smiled, "I've erm...got Quidditch practice, last one ever so I better not be late; you wanna come Moony? Sirius will be there..."
"Oh...I...I think I might just stay here..." Remus said quietly.
"Remus you don't have to look after me you know," Ellie said gently, "It's ok, I'm awake now; you've been in here for days. Go have fun..."
"Well if you want me to go-"
"I didn't say that I want you to go-"
"I guess I can just-"
"I mean I like you being here-"
"I just feel better staying-"
"It's kinda sweet you sticking with me all this time-"
"After everything and-"
"I don't want you to feel like you have to stick by me-"
"I don't want you to think that I-"
"I want you to have fun and stop feeling so guilty. I'm fine ok? No big deal. It was an accident; I mean it's not like you planned to hurt me and guess what, I don't really care that you did because it...wasn't you...?" Ellie said, her brow furrowing at the end, "That did make sense right?" Lily couldn't help but grin from ear to ear; they were both so perfect, so ridiculously awkward. Remus smiled but with his eyes down, still unconvinced.
"See...?" James said quietly, grinning just as broadly as Lily.
"I guess I haven't seen Sirius in a while..." Remus smiled.
"Great!" James beamed, "Bye Ellie...Evans..." Lily gave him a small smile but he did not return in, turning instead with Remus close behind him as they exited for the Quidditch pitch.
"How wonderfully awkward," Ellie smiled wistfully.
"How can awkwardness possibly be wonderful?" Lily asked with her head in her hands.
"You had your back to him Lily," Ellie beamed, "He was looking down at you on the bed most of the time! Of course he still likes you! Did you hear that pause when he said goodbye; the way he painfully said your name? He misses you Lily; it's obvious."
"Is it really?" Lily blinked bewildered.
"Seriously Lily you're just as bad as Remus!" Ellie moaned and Lily couldn't help but grin. Ellie seemed to like the 'wonderfully awkward'.
Authors note: Ok first off, sorry for the big delay in this story. I had writers block because I needed to find a way to round it all up and get to the end. Only after I read someone's review did I realise that I hadn't updates since October XD as always PLEASE REVIEW and it will all come together soon : )